Hunter Greene, Reds pitching staff wildly disrespected in latest MLB rankings

The Cincinnati Reds pitching staff is somehow underrated. Through elite drafting, excellent development, and savvy trades, the Reds have built a fantastic staff. Oddly enough, however, not everyone thinks the same. MLB.com recently posted their top 10 pitching staffs and seemingly forgot the Reds even existed.

After last season's showing, and the addition of Brady Singer, leaving Cincinnati's staff outside the top 10 is utterly ridiculous. Despite injuries, the Reds 2024 starting rotation shined all season. Hunter Greene finished eighth in NL Cy Young voting, and Singer produced a 3.71 ERA in the strong AL Central as a member of the Kansas City Royals rotation.

Nick Martinez proved he can be a frontline starter after posting a 0.83 ERA over five starts in September. The flexible veteran shined in the bullpen as well, boasting a 1.86 ERA over 26 games. The Reds also have terrific depth, with Chase Burns, Rhett Lowder and Chase Petty lurking in the farm system.

Hunter Greene, Reds pitching staff wildly disrespected in latest MLB rankings

Despite a mediocre 4.09 bullpen ERA last season, Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall upgraded big time. Lefty Taylor Rogers was acquired this offseason in a trade with the San Francisco Giants after posting a 2.40 ERA in 2024. Former Cleveland Guardians reliever Scott Barlow signed a free agent deal this winter and owns a career 3.49 ERA. These additions coupled with the 1-2 punch of Sam Moll and Alexis Diaz give Terry Francona a plethora of formidable options late in games.

MLB.com listed the Texas Rangers staff at No. 9. The team's top two starters are Nathan Eovaldi — whose 3.80 ERA ranked 34th among all starters in 2024 — and the 36 year-old Jacob DeGrom who hasn't pitched over 100 innings since 2019. Follow that with a handful of back-end starters, plus a bullpen that posted a 4.41 ERA and ranked 26th in MLB last season, and you can see why ranking Texas at No. 9 is foolhardy.

So what gives? Is the Reds pitching staff really underrated? Yes, potentially because the rotation lacks big-name value. Greene emerged as a top-20 pitcher last season, but everyone else is either underrated or unknown. Reds front office also inexplicably abstains from signing big-name pitchers like Corbin Burnes and Blake Snell and instead rely on drafting and developing talent.

But developing pitchers hasn't been the problem. Health has. The past two seasons, injuries have decimated the rotation. Core starters like Greene and Lodolo have been injured several times since 2023, and even Andrew Abbott is still working his way back from a late-August shoulder issue.

Major League Baseball is filled with strong rotations, but excluding the Reds is outrageous. With a young core, three phenomenal top prospects and improved bullpen, Cincinnati's pitching staff is still somehow underrated.

More Cincinnati Reds News and Rumors